Paraguay

Paraguay is a country in central South America, with Asuncion serving as its capital. Named for its location along the Paraguay River, Paraguay is the smallest landlocked country on the continent. The country declared its independence from Spain in 1811, amidst a wave of South American revolutions, and it was led by several isolationist and protectionist dictators over the next few centuries. Following the Paraguayan War with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay (1864-1870), Paraguay lost 70% of its population and 54,000 square miles of land. Authoritarian governments continued to rule the country into the 20th century, and it was not until 1993 that free elections were held. In 2015, Paraguay had a population of 6,783,272.